Family at the Heart of Our Work
Family is at the center of everything we do. It’s what motivates parents to cross oceans for safety, what comforts children in moments of fear, and what gives hope when the world feels uncertain. At Canopy NWA, we believe that every family deserves the chance to be together. But for many of our newest neighbors, family separation is one of the hardest and longest parts of the refugee journey.
For Melesa* this truth is deeply personal.
In April 2024, Melesa and her four children arrived in Northwest Arkansas through the United States’ official refugee resettlement program, bringing an end to years of displacement and uncertainty. The family’s early months in Fayetteville were all about new routines, new jobs, and the little connections that make a place feel like home. Her two sons, Amisi* (9) and Kito* (4), and her daughter, Neema* (6), now attend elementary school. Her youngest, Lukusa*, is learning to toddle through their new home. On weekends, the family often fills their living room with grocery shopping, music, dancing, and laughter, small moments that remind them of the life they are building together in NWA.
But one thing remains missing.
Across the ocean, in Tanzania’s Nyarugusu Refugee Camp, one of the largest and oldest refugee camps in the world, are Melesa’s parents, three siblings, and her husband. They have been apart for two years.
“I would like to be reunited with my family again,” she says. “I have missed them. I am raising my kids by myself, and having my family here could really help.”
While Melesa works at George’s poultry plant to provide for her children, the emotional weight of separation is heavy. Raising four young children alone in a new country is a challenge most of us can hardly imagine and yet, for many resettled refugees, this is their reality.
Why Family Reunification Matters Now More Than Ever
The recent announcement of a historic low in the U.S. refugee resettlement ceiling, just 7,500 slots for Fiscal Year 2026, makes reunification for families like Melesa’s even less likely. This decision, which prioritizes a single population group, significantly limits opportunities for families waiting to reunite after years, sometimes decades, apart. For the thousands of people who have already found safety in the U.S., it means more years of waiting, hoping, and worrying about the people they love most.
At Canopy, we see every day how family separation impacts not just individuals but entire communities. Parents struggle to sleep knowing their loved ones are still in danger. Children long for grandparents they’ve only seen in photos. Reunification isn’t just about being together again. It’s about finding a sense of peace, belonging, and balance again.
That’s why Canopy’s work matters so deeply. We walk alongside our new neighbors as they build new lives here in Northwest Arkansas, but we also advocate for policies and programs that make family reunification possible. Our mission to create a community where refugees are welcomed and equipped to build new lives, depends on the belief that families belong together.
The “Long Welcome” Continues
As Melesa continues to build her life here, her story reminds us that the “Long Welcome” doesn’t end when the plane lands or the apartment lease is signed. It continues in every effort to connect families, in every conversation about refugee policy, and in every person who chooses to stand alongside their new neighbors.
Because no mother should have to raise her children while wondering if she’ll ever see her husband, parents, or siblings again.
At Canopy NWA, we hold onto the hope that one day soon, Melesa’s family and many others like them will be together again. Until then, we’ll keep advocating, working, welcoming, and believing in the power of family.
*Name changed for privacy.
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